Peace Corps Names NSU As One Of Top Volunteer HBCU's

(NSU NEWSROOM--March 20, 2014)--Norfolk State University was named as one of the top producers of Peace Corps volunteers for historically black colleges and universities in 2014, the organization announced this week.

Norfolk State University produced the third-most volunteers for HBCU’s, according to the agency’s fiscal data from 2013. This is the first time NSU has earned a top ranking. The University currently has five active volunteers serving in Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, Costa Rica and Namibia, according to a Peace Corps spokesperson.

Some of the active members include NSU alums Jennifer Jiggetts, 28, of Suffolk, who serving in Lesotho, and Tyrell Junius, 24, of Richmond, who is serving in Zambia, and Dwayne Matthews, who is serving in Malawi. Since 1961, NSU has produced 27 graduates who were volunteers with the organization, the spokesperson said.

“We are thrilled to see a Historically Black University join this year’s national rankings of schools that send the greatest number of alumni to the Peace Corps,” Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said in a press release. “America is a beautiful multicultural country, and we want Peace Corps volunteers to represent the very best of the United States and show the world the rich diversity of the American people.”

College graduates with Peace Corps volunteer experience gain cross-cultural, leadership, language and community development skills that give them a competitive edge for 21st century jobs and advanced educational opportunities, according to Peace Corps. The organization said the program develops a global perspective that enriches the lives of those around them and helps volunteers to strengthen international ties and increase our country’s global competitiveness.

The Peace Corps has eight regional recruitment offices across the country that work closely with prospective volunteers. Additionally, the agency’s Office of Diversity and National Outreach aims to recruit a diverse pool of volunteers and build an inclusive culture that welcomes applicants and volunteers who reflect the diversity of America. Find the recruitment office near you by visiting the Peace Corps website here.